Man in Strawberry Mansion fends off police with sword, weed whacker, flaming pillow

Somehow, no injuries were reported, Philly police say

Kristen Oswald, of Royersford, Montgomery County, died during an Ironman triathlon in Ohio on Sunday after being struck by a commercial truck struck while she was cycling on the course. 
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice

It sounds like a weapons stash in some deranged video game: A man in Strawberry Mansion was taken into custody late Monday night after keeping police at bay for hours with a sword, a weed whacker, and a flaming pillow, Philadelphia police said.

Officers were called to Strawberry Mansion around 8 p.m. Monday night, according to the Associated Press, thanks to a report of a male, high on narcotics, armed with a sword.

According to the AP, a stun gun failed to subdue the man, which is never a good sign. But the officers couldn’t have possibly known what would come next.

He threatened to cut off officers’ heads, tossed the weed whacker and flaming pillow at the cops and also tried to urinate on the officers, according to NBC 10.

The man eventually was taken into custody around midnight and at one point requested to visit the hospital, but he refused to drop the sword.

Incredibly, no injuries were reported, according to the AP.


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